Fastener driving machine



July 27, 1943. F, POLZER FASTENER DRIVING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet l www y ATTORNEYS,

July 27, 1943. F. POLZER 2,325,341

FASTENER DRIVING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 77g 7l v ATTORNEYS July 27, 1943- F. PoLzx-:R

l FASTENER DRIVING MACHlNE Filed Feb. 18, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented `Iuly 27, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT :fQ-FFIUE k flzgazsir` A liiesiiman BRIVING MACHINE FridolinV Buizen NorwallaA Colin., assisnrie T11e E. H. Hotchkiss tCompany NQrwalk, Conn., a

` cerperation rcf..(onnectic'ut v Aptimmertiehr'vrejy ls, 1942, sensi No. 431,352

This invention relates te fastener ,driving machines, particularly ifv the type for driving substantially u-siiap'ed yer simiiarvfast'eriersjby swinging 0f thedevice to strike a "blvv 4similar to the blow of a hammer; and t is a particular'.

object to provide such `a `device which may be used nctonlyin the mannerl pf yusinga haine ber but also may be used for hand Operatibnfin the nia-nner cf the usual desk 0r similar tylr'ie,v

fastener machine.

`[ts' another object to provide a cnstriictien in which fastener drivers of different thicknesses may be used and mountedso thatfthe drivers' may be readily changed to drive different Widths or sizes di fastener sa that the same machine, merely through 'a sir'ple Operation may be adapted for driving different Widths A0'1"'sizes' bf fasteners, giving in effect several "'iaclfiiriesin one.

It is another object t provide a structure fOr a machine of this type in which practicallyail the parts may be made f press Work and stamped and formed from sheet metal pf `Suitable ugi or thickness,

With the foregoing endtiie'r ebjeetsiyiew n `l have devised thejconstruction Aillustraten the accompanying 'drawings ,ioiriingua khaftJ of` this specificatili. n it, LhGweVer, is `t`jb`e di"- stoed the invention is not limited t the sp ne censtructlon and arrangement, shwnibvt av Fig. i isa side Vel parts breken away tc ir'ioreClearly` shOWftl construction; i

' Fig. 2 is a top plan v jw therefwwith pfarts" broken away to rriiecleaiflys'hw, the cnstrction;` v

Figs. '3 and 4 are ,transverse sections. substan-J Fig. `is 'a vertical llongitiidiiial'tsecticn 'subjstantially on the' line'l-fltf 1iig. '6,v or iist n; sideA the 'siseplate* era hand lever, showing' eer'- tailnf'cf f the 'internal' V1I'1e`i`z`1l0er`s' in side elevation tialiy onl ines SL13 and respectively" o`f Fig.. s `is e .partiel side-elevation endsrfif in section and `trie interner lever ier ep'eratin-g the drivelthe line ltr-wref Fiss; l Llistfl ,is a perspective View fof a' driver and frcnt plate which may be Used;

ing.: 114 is e siirmlerview efssether driver and front, plate; these Fiurs 1.3 anidlshowfs "jow by juse of divers en@ frees 1 Ises ef dife ferent thicknesses lthe machine may A,be readily Ch'nsedt adaptlit fOfr .driving diffrent .wijd HS'` or sizes cf fasteners 4with@nt changing the s 'tr meer the machine se that the same ma,entreV is adaptable flor driving several different sizes bjr Widthseol fasteners. V M

ie vmachineillustiatec is for ,drivihs ,Substant'i'ally'U-sliaped fastener'sprstjafles, b'it the sfame r'iechanisni may )Je used to drive var/inns types c f fasteners such fork 'example jas r,tvfvvo' f prengedlstepies; tacks, nails and the like, ispeng 'evetisn `off Vthe devise 'wits Y extensions? en the vside walls, 'forrrins a hifii.v e

.frhyis member may `be stamped and guiding." and feeding' 'means and the driver t necessary rertne diserejilt types .10i fsstenersjte merely'chanse the Shape and Size iOf thffas snit the typ'eandgsze cf fastener Sed.

bef Il hewn-g ve henger-mei portieri substgmtiaiiy cfssgsped in"1ross1seetion forming ahsnaieat one 'end and et its forward :end haviiig upright nem heavy sheet merel of suitable miek.. .tha'r feasting; It enclin-ses 4the fastener ksupe@ M suiclel whichextends -l'ohgitudr'ally .f th

freies-,11e sise wenst e; theblody l space for the prongs yof the fasteners, in the illustration shown substantiely Urfshepesstapies 6, susperted en the tes ef the guide -3 with their cross bars l' resting n theftcp ofthe supprt l tl'iat the guidey is sernewljiatv Wider vat tire ti'gp, and if the Staples if? Siri-9.33113?, ShlPdWth ...lie sideprongsinclindinwardly they will griptlie guide and be 'heid from a 'tendency te move of ig. 12 is a sr'ensversesegenen substantially-6113 lower.

member may also be formed from sheet metal of suitable thickness.

Enclosing the rear end portion of the handle body I is a hand grip S which may be of any suitable material, such for example as rubber, wood or other composition.

or fastener to be usedv is mounted for vertical reciprocating movement between the side walls 2 of the body member and the back wall ol a removable front plate Sli which extends downwardly to a point adjacent the striking wall 3l. The removable front plate is retained in position relative to the front wall 29 by means later` described. The plate Sil and driver i8 are in back of thefront wall 29 of the, head portion, the removable plate 38 being' between the driver and the front wall 29 and forms a forward guide for the driver. The lower end portion of the plate 3E? is spaced forwardly from the forward lend of the fastener supporting guide 3 a distance substantially that of or slightly wider than the vthickness of the staple or fastener to form a The fasteners G are fed along the support and u guide 3 to the driving position by a feed mechaanism including a follower lb of substantially inverted U-shape in cross section so as to rest on topof the guide 3 and embrace the sides thereof, and it includes a downwardly extending loop II embracing and slidable onl a rod i2 about Which is a light feed spring I3 tending -to` force the vvfollower forwardly. and with it vthe fasteners to carry them to the driving position. .The end of the rod may be enlarged as shown at I4 to` prevent the follower sliding olf. and the follower may have a downwardly extending lip l5 on its forward end to engage'the rear wall I6 `of the staple raceway or guideway l?, to preventthe forward Yend of thev followerfrom being carried into. the raceway under the driver I8. The rear end of the horizontal portion of the body I is open for insertion ofv the Astaple or fastener strips ontoy the support- `and guide 3, and the rod I2 vis supported by a member IEB having an upright wall 2G forming a finger grip and a hori- Zontal wall' 2i havinga Yslo't`22 to receive the hook 23 on a retaining catch 2li pvoted between the side walls 5 of the body by a transverse rivet,

25. A springZii on the voppositeside of the pivot tends to force the hook23 downwardly to engage ina slot 22 in thewall ZIv of member I9 and' under the'cross wall'll of thism'ember viatlthe inner end of ,this slot to retain the member I2 and the rod I2 in position; If it is desired `to removethe rod and follower to insert a new striplof staples or fasteners thefme'mber I9 is merely pushed inwardlyy or `forwardly bythe finger until the cross bar 2l clears the hook then the hook may be lifted b-yjengaginga Ylinger under theend 23 of thecatch 2fl,`lifting thehook.

from the Imember I9 and permitting it to be drawn outwardly with the rodiZ and the folieturns the catch to'the lower position thehook 23 will engage the rear end of the follower Ill and 'prevent its droppingr from the machine inadvertently or its complete removalfrom the machine where the fastener strip isfed at the front of the machine, as will later be described. However,` if it is desired to remove the follower and the rod l2 from the'mac-hine, the hook 23l maybe lifted to permit` this.

The mechanism for driving the fasteners Ais vmounted at the forward portion of thebo'dy.

particular fastener used.,` The vdriver i8 of a thickness for thewidth or thickness ofthe staple the raceway, yand thus prevent jamming of a staple or fastener inthe raceway and clogging of the machine. The lower end portion of plate 3D could also spring slightly to relieve a jammed fastener or one slightly oversize. The upper end portion of the spring is used to releasably 'retain the front plate 3d inV position. For this purpose` the spring is provided with a T- head Vor cross bar '365 and Vplate Sli is bent forwardly'and recessedto provide the spaced lugs 3l'. which may engage under the cross bar 36 to thus retain the plate 3d and prevent its being drawn upwardly with the driver. The lugs (-51 rest on the top edge of the wall 2% to determine its lower position and retain it against further downward movement. By merely springing the top portion 35 of the springr outwardly as shown in dotted linesFig. 5. the front plate 30 is released and may be raisedas indicated by the to seat over 'a lug 39 on thefront edge of a removed.

This driver I8 lis provided with an opening 38 block d pivotally mountedin thefforward end of the hammer-lever 4I. The block 40 supports the driver and -backs it up at its rear side so j' the driver is prevented from moving away from As' the spring 25 however imnfie'diately` j 60. deviceis swung so that its forward end strikes the front plate 30 and is held at the rear side of lthis plate.A This lever isa weighted lever so that it will have sufficient weight or mass to operate the driver to seta fastener when the an' object. |This lever may be made as one piece, but is preferably made ofi a plurality of relatively thick platesr2, 43 v'and 44 secured together side by side by any suitablemeans, Such as .rivets 45 or welding. "With this construction the hammer lever can bek made of stampings or press work. rlhe forward ends of the plates 42 are extended beyond the plates 43 to provide a forked endfor the lever in which the block is mounted and in which it is supported for limited swinging movement by the transverse pivot pin 45. 'I he lower edges of the plates d2 under this pivot are rounded as indicated at 41 to `rest on shoulders 48 o n the top-of transverse'ribs 4E? on oppoon the arcor `a circlewith the center ofthe pin 45. at `the .center sof'these curved walls will` roll on the shouldersk 43 asfthe block 4U swings on its pivot. Thexopposite ends of the pin 4S project beyond the side plates .42 so as to extend into uprightv guide slots 5B in the side walls`2 10 ofy `the body `member7 these `slots extending through the tops of these walls for easy insertion and removal. These slots guide the .block le for straight up and `down movement parallel to the iront wall 23, and asit carries the driver 15 ii! it retains `the driver closely adjacent the rear side of the front plate for its up and down reciprccatingmovement. viltwill be seen that at the top portion of each ofthe side walls 2 is a rearward `extensionor lug 5| forming a stop 20 shoulder 52 to be engagedby the ends 5,3 of the transverse stop pin, as indicated in Fig. 5, to limit theupward movements of the lever.

The hammer lever 4i is mounted in a movable,

hollow hand lever 5,4, Athis lever being preierably'25 of substantially inverted VU-shape in cross section and stamped and formed from sheet metal. of suitable thickness. It is pivoted to the body member i at 55 through downwardly extending lugs 5B on a small bracket 55a fastened to the 30 under side of the body I by any suitable means such rivets or welding. The sides 51 of this lever are extended downwardly so as to en-r slosc the hammer lever 4| and the head portion of the body to protect themand also help retain them inipositio-n as well as to cover them upto give a better appcarance. The hammer lever 4! is, pivoted to the hand lever` 54 by the cross bolt or rivet 55S extending between the side walls 5l,

and to permit free and unrestricted movement 40 of the lever ii `this pivotal rivet passes through an elongated slot 5S in the lever. The lever 4i is thus in effect a oating lever. This elongated slot can be conveniently located in rearward extensions of the plates t3. The side plates 4 5 44 arel really llingplates or spacer plates so as to lill in the space between the `plates i2 and the sides 5l of.the hand lever, but of course with clearance t0 permit easy relative movement between the levers.. They also provide spacei'for 50 side walls 2 vof the body 'and the projecting ends 455 and 5S of thecross `loins. A coil spring 60 mounted on the top wall 'and under the lever Si tends to move thisY lever and the lever 54 tol the upper or normal position ready for `a fas- 5'5 tener driving operation and retain it therein. It

Vmay engage-at its lower yend overanupwa'rdly extending lug ti out and bent upwardly from' theV bottom wall of the member 8 and may seat at its upper endin the recess 52 in the underside 60 of the lever. [in additional flat spring E3 may also be mounted on the member 8 Yand engage under the lever M `to help raise this"i lever and the lever En, this spring being also mounted on the; wall ii and provided with an opening-to seat overl the lug4 and extend at its rear end under a cross nin (illv to retain it in Yposition on the member A clip 65. mounted on the top wall of the lever 5ft is` extendedidownwardly and rearwardly` to engage the member when the lever 7g is in its upper position to form a `sort of cushion or resilient stop, as the levers move to their upper position. and reduce the blow of the stops '53 against the lugs,v 5i. On the ,top of the hand lever bilis. mounted a hand cushion or grip es, 7,5

so as to protect the fingers of the user.

ofrubber or other Asuitable relativelyl soft or. yieldable resilientv material to cushion-themes'- sure or blow against the hand when the device is used asahand, operated staple orfastener setting4 device, `this cushion being secured, to the lever by any4 suitable means such as rivets GT. With this construction and arrangement the block 49, hammer lever di and hand lever `lill may operate asa unit. y g i TheK striking surface 3l is on thelower side of the hammer member rstamped and formed ofheavy metalto substantially U-shape and secured to the bottom'wall of the body! by any suitable means such as rivets 69 `or welding. The same Arivets can be used to fasten the staple guide or support 3 in the body. Theiorward wall '[5 of thefmember 63 extends fupwardlydn front of theufastener guide and provides a lcross wall 'Il infront of the front plate to support and back up this plate and limit its outwardY movement. There is, however,.ordinarily a certain amount of clearance between the iront-plate 3tl. andthe cross wall 'il to permit limited yielding move,- ment of vtheplate 3B, as abovel described should an oversized fastener be forcedinto the raceway. The front wall 'l0 is cut away, as shown at 12,to permit the spring 32 to, engage the front plate 30 and also to exposel the front portion of the staple guide when the front plate is removed to permit clearing of the machineshould a staple or other fastener bejamrnedI in themachine.

This also permits insertion of a stapleorias- "tener strip onto the guide `3 `from the iront of the machine, as will presently be described in connection withFigs. 8 and 9, aswell as removal of fasteners through the front of :the machine should it be desired-,to doso, Therear wall IS of the raceway Il is, formed by the `upwardly extending portion `of an L -shaped member mounted between. the j.side walls or lthe'guide 3, the other portion lita resting on .the bottom wall of the member 3 and secured thereto'by4 any suitable means such as welding or rivets i3. The striking wall 3| is shown as inclined downwardly and rearwardly so that in striking an object with this device it may be struck-with this wall 3i substantially parallel to the surface being struck and the handle grip 9 raisedabove this surface That is; the ngers need not be brought down to contact with the surface of the article being struck in order that the surface 3| shall lie parallel or hat on ,this surface struck. Also this permits the surface 3l to lie flat on the surface of the article being fastened when the machine is used as a hand operated machine to permit the grip S'in thisoperation to be held above the surface ofthe article being fastened. The opposite ends of surface 3| are well rounded `to prevent injury tothe object struck. VAny space between the inclined wall 3| and the bottom wall of the body imay be filled inwith a ller block 'it which will also back up and support the wall 3|. The hammer member E8 has upwardly extending side walls 15: spaced outwardly from the side walls 2 of the body member to permit the lower edges of` thegsidewalls 5l of the hand lever to pass down between them. These walls 'F5 and front walls; l0 are locked together to give greater strength to the hammer member by `means of lugs or extensions 'I6 on the edges or" the front wall 7U and seating in notches in the iront `edges of the walls l5. w

`Inthe modification shown inFigs. 8 and 9 an arrangement is shown whereby the` fasteners,

fed or inserted in the machine from the front. In this case the spring I8 corresponding to the spring 3Iis raised higher, the cross wall 'i9 corresponding with the cross wall 'Il being narrowed for this purpose, 'so that the lower endV of this* spring I8 resting against the front plate Sil-is spaced above the top wall of the staplev 'guide and support 3. Therefore when the front plate 30 is raised the staple strip 'I'I may be slid onto rthe top of the support 3 by sliding it infrom the front thereof, asshown by the arrow."A This may be forced in against the action of the feed spring I3, but preferably the spring and the follower IIJ would first be retracted toward the rear of the machine after releasing the catch 2li.l

yIn operation the machine is gripped by the handle grip 9 and by swinging it in themanner similar to swinging a hammer Vthe forward endA and particularly'the striking surface 3| is struck against: the object tov be fastened. This of course arrests the movement of the head end of the.

in position preparatory to the next driving oper-v ationg' If the device is to be usedas a hand oper- `ated device, the grip 9 is heldin one hand with the surface 3| resting on the article to be fastened. The inclination of this surface 3l permits the grip to be held above the surface of the article with the ngers out of contact therewith and still have the surface 3I iiat on the surface of the object, then by pressing or a light blow on the grip or cushion 56 Wit'nthe other hand the levers 513 and 4I are forced downwardly, carrying with them the driver i3 and driving the fastener into the work. Therefore the device is equally adapted for use either in the manner of a hammer or as a'hand operated device.

Figs. 13 and 14 illustrate two drivers for'the fasteners of different thicknesses. That is', the driver 68a of Fig 13 is 'shown as being of less thickness than the driver IBb of Fig. 14j The driver fila would therefore be used for driving fasteners r staples of less width than wouldfthe driver Itb, -as for proper operation thevdriver should preferably be of substantially the width of the fasteners. However, asthe space between the front wall 2551 and front edge of block 40, and the forward end of the fastener support and guide 3 and' the uprightwall I6 and the forward wall 2S, 'Ii of the head portion of the machine is fixed, the front wall 3D should be changed and be of the proper thickness to correspond "with the space between the driver and the front wall. Thus when using the thinner driver 13a of Fig. 13 the front plate 39a should be correspondingly thicker, and whenusing the thicker driver Ib of Fig; .i4 the corresponding front plate Mib should be thinner. With the thicker plate 33a, and thethin driver Ita, the plate 36a maybe relieved by a groove o in the upper portion in the rear wall thereof to form a clearance for-the projecting end of the lug 39 on the operating block QE). It will thus be seen that by using different thicknesses of the driverv I 8 and -front plates 3l? of correspondingly different thicknesses, the machine may be adaptedfor driving several different widths of fasteners, the range of course being limited only by the capacity of the machine as vdetermined byl Vtheclearance in the head ofthe machine provided for the driver I3 and the front plate Sil. To thus adapt the machine for driving any particular width of fastener yall that is necessaryV is to remove the plate 30 and` driver It and insert a vdriver and plate of the proper thicknessfor the fastener involved, which it will be seen is a very simple operation. Therefore exactly the same mechanism without any Achange or adjustment can be easily and quickly' adapted for different thicknesses or widths o-f fasteners', making in effect several machines in o-ne, as a new machine is not required for a different size staple or fastener.

Havingthus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

l. A fastener driving machine comprising a handle, means connected with the handle for driving fasteners including a movable driver, a weighted lever for operating the driver on impact of the machine against an object, and a hand lever connected with the weighted lever for operating the driver through operation of the weighted lever by pressure `on the hand lever.

2. A fastener driving machine comprising a handle having an extension at one end, a reciprocable driver in said extension for driving the fasteners, a hollow hand lever pivo-ted to the handle, a weighted lever enclosed in the hand lever, said weighted lever being connected to the driver to operate it o-n impact of the machine with an object, and said hand lever adapted to operate the weighted lever to drive a fastener.

3. A fastener driving machine comprising a handle having an extension at one end, a reciprocable drivel' mounted in said extension for driving the fasteners, a hollow hand lever pivoted to the handle, a weighted lever within the hand lever and connected with the driver to operate the drivel' on impact of the machine with an object, and cooperating guiding means on the lweighted.lever and the extension.

Zi. A fastener driving machine comprising an elongated body having a handle at one end and spaced upright sidewalls at the other'end, a

fastener driver mounted for reciprocating movement between' the side walls, a pivoted lever connected to the driver for operating it on impact of the machine with an object, cooperating guiding means on the lever and side walls to guide the forward end of .the lever in a given path, said pivot forthe lever arranged to permit longitudina as well as swinging movement of the lever, and a spring tending to shift the lever to its upper position.

drivel' lever to which the block is pivotally con-v nected, cooperatingv guide means on the lever and the side walls, a hand lever for operating 'the first. lever, and a pivotal connection between the weighted lever and the hand lever adapted to permit longitudinal rmovement of the weighted lever so as to leave the latter lever a freefloating lever.

section and having a handle grip at one end and having laterally spaced upwardlyextending side walls at its other end, a fastener support in said body,- a front plate spaced forwardly of the4 forward end of said support to form a lguideway, means for feeding fasteners along the vsupport tothe guideway, a `reciprocable driver mounted between said side walls and movable through the guideway to drive a fastener, a weighted lever connected to the driver to voperate it on impact of the machine against an object, a hand lever pivoted to the body extending over and enclosing the weighted lever for operating it todrive'a fastener, and means pivotally connecting the Weighted lever to the hand lever.

7. A fastener driving machine comprising an elongated body having a handle grip at one end and upwardly extending side walls at the other end, a block mounted for reciprocating movement between said side walls, a fastener driver connected to said block for operation thereby, and a weighted lever connected to said block to operv ate the same to operate the driver on impact of the machine againstan object. v

8; A fastener driving machine comprising an elongated body having a handlegrip at one end and upwardly extending side walls at the other end, a block guided for reciprocating movement between said side walls, a fastener driver connected to and guided by said block for reciprocating movement, and a freely floating weighted lever pivoted to the blo-ck for shifting the block and driver to drive a fastener on impact of the machine with an obj ect.

9. A fastener driving machine comprisingan elongated body having a handle grip at one end and upwardly extending side walls at the other end, a transverse front wall connecting said side walls, a block mounted for reciprocating movement between said side walls and spaced rearwardly from the front wall, a fastener driver removably connected'to the forward edge of the block for operation thereby, a removable front plate mounted between the driver and said front wall and forming a guide for the driver, and an operating lever connected to the block for operating the driver to set a fastener.

10. A fastener driving machine comprising an elongated body having a handle grip at one end, a block mounted for reciprocating movement in the other end portion and provided with laterally 6. A fastener driving machine comprising an elongated body of substantially U-shape in cro-ss' extending shoulders, a fastener driver connected with the block for operation thereby, and an operating lever having a forked end pivoted to the block abovesaid shoulders with the sides of the fork engaging said shoulders and rounded to roll thereon to transmit pressure from the lever to the block to operate the driver.

11.'A fastener driving machine comprising an elongated body having a handle at one end, a reciprocable fastener driver mounted in the other end portion, a weighted lever connected with the driver to operate it to drive a fastener on impact of the machine against an object, said lever c-omprising a series of stampings in the form of plates secured together side by side, and means for pivotally mounting said lever.

12. A fastener driving machine comprising an elongated body having a handle at one end, a reciprocable fastener driver mounted in the other end portion, a block to which said driver is connected, a weighted lever pivoted to the block to operate the block and driver on impact of the machine against an object, said lever comprising a series of stampings in the form of plates secured side by side,fa pair of said plates being extended forwardly to form a forked end in which the block is mounted, at least one plate being extended at its rear end and provided with an elongated slot, and pivot means extending through said slot for pivotally mounting the lever.

13. A fastener driving machine comprising an elongated body having a handle at one end and a head portion at the other end, a fastener driver mounted for reciprocating movement in the head portion, a weighted lever for operating the driver to set a fastener on impact of the machine against an object, a striking block on the lower part of the head portion at the fastener driving point, and said block having a downwardly and rearwardly inclined striking surface to engage flat on the surface of the object with the handle raised above said object.

14. A fastener driving machine comprising an elongated body having a handle at one end, a reciprocable fastener driver mounted in the other end portion, a block to which said driver is connected, a weighted lever pivotally connected to the block to operate the block and driver on impact of the machine against an object, a hollow hand lever pivoted to the body and enclosing the weighted lever, a pivotal connection between the Weighted lever and the hand lever, and said block, Weighted lever and hand lever adapted to operate as a unit. A

-FLTREIDOILIN POLZER. 

